The invention relates in general to the field of electromechanical switching devices, more specifically to micro-electromechanical and nano-electromechanical switching devices.
As power and energy constraints in microelectronic applications become more and more challenging one is constantly seeking alternative and more power efficient ways of switching and computing. A conventional switching device used in the semiconductor industry is a CMOS transistor. To overcome power related power bottlenecks in CMOS devices switching devices which operate on fundamentally different transport mechanisms such as tunneling are investigated. However, combining the desirable characteristics of high on-current, very low off-current, abrupt switching, high speed as well as a small footprint in a device that might be easily interfaced to a CMOS device is a challenging task. Mechanical switches such as nano-electromechanical switches (NEM switches) are promising devices to meet these kinds of criteria. A nano-electromechanical switch having a narrow gap between electrodes is controlled by electrostatic actuation. In response to an electrostatic force a contact electrode can be bent or actuated to contact another electrode thus closing the switch.